


December 20

by VR_Trakowski



Series: Advent 2015 [20]
Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: Advent Calendar, F/M, Ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-08 02:54:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5480603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VR_Trakowski/pseuds/VR_Trakowski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fruitless search.</p>
            </blockquote>





	December 20

**Author's Note:**

> Explanation [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5333558).

Caine didn’t really like having time off.  It often meant being away from Jupiter, because it would be someone else’s turn to guard her, and it made him both nervous and lonely; but she insisted.   _You need time to yourself,_ she would tell him.   _This is a relationship as well as a job, you know, and couples need space sometimes._

All _that_ did was make him feel panicky, except that Jupiter didn’t seem to be brushing him off.  So Caine gritted his teeth and obeyed, counting down hours until she would be back from whatever business was taking up her day, and he could watch over her once more.  

As time went on, he got more used to the idea, though he didn’t like it any better.  It did allow him to do small personal chores and errands, which could be convenient.  

And now, it let him go to the big--for Earth--building known as a _mall_ , because a plan was taking shape, and Caine wanted to buy Jupiter a present.  

It wasn’t done.  Gifts to Entitled were political, involving prices high enough to be practically mythical; people didn’t just give them small things, it would never occur to anyone to do so.  But all their talk of holidays had woken the desire within him, to offer her some small token of his devotion; to let her know that he respected her culture.  

However, Caine found the mall hopeless.  It wasn’t the size or the crowds--they were laughable compared to Somtow’s Planet or even the shopping level of Orus.  It was that out of all the goods on offer, he couldn’t begin to decide what might please Jupiter.  

He’d given up looking and was just wandering (and eating the bread hoop he’d purchased, it was delicious) when he came to the center of the mall.  A long line of people, at least half of them children, snaked away from a low-fenced enclosure, and within was a figure Caine actually recognized, thanks to his research.  

He stopped to watch for a few minutes.  This Santa had the requisite red and white suit, and flowing white hair, but his beard was obviously false, and he wasn’t as old as he was trying to look.  He was giving each child genial, individual attention, but Caine could smell how tired he was.  

None of the children appeared to notice.  They were eager and shy, babbling and silent; one burst into tears and had to be carried away by an embarrassed parent.  But all of them seemed to believe in some way.  It was fascinating to watch, and a small part of Caine felt the pull, the desire to put faith in a benevolent power far older than oneself.

_Not your culture,_ he reminded himself.   _You’re not even a child, and this man would probably consider you a monster if he knew what you truly are._  

After a while Caine turned to leave; Jupiter would be getting home soon, and he wanted to be there when she arrived.  

Perhaps she would like a pretzel too...  


End file.
